zutara

The gravel reflected the lights of the bar and streetlights, and the occasional headlights of a car that passed. The gray sky made it impossible to see the stars that danced in the sky, but the moon peeked out an inkling, granting his dark world with a little light. He took a deep breath, sighing and watching his cold breath form a puff of fog. With hands shoved in pockets and a hood thrown over his head, he sauntered across the gravel and into the bar.

A brick wall took the entirety of the back with a hallway all the way to the left for possibly the washrooms. The place looked rustic and not really a bar type, with light bulbs hung bare from the ceiling by a wire varying in length. The bar countertop was a straight black wood that didn't look as damaged as he expected. Red stools lined it the entirety of the way, many pulled out seating many people. Most of the men stood, leaned over some girl trying to get some. The faded dark brown hardwood floor had many scratches in it from the busy nightlife of the place.

Across the room, televisions playing the big game for all different sports and sole featuring the news hung on the walls with subtitles flashing. Booths hugged the wall and tables with red stools scattered across the floor. All except for two, Zuko counted, were full.

The bar seemed more of a casual, laid back type than the party type, but something about this place drew the crowd. There wasn't a club vibe with a dance floor and loud dance music, but a warm, and friendly place. A place where friends can come and mingle and drink to drink, not drink to get drunk. Even the bartenders were dressed in casual wear rather than something formal for the men and three pieces of fabric sewn together for the ladies.

Zuko slipped his hood off, taking long strides to the bar. He sat at one of the red stools and looked around for the face he wanted to recognize. He knew she worked as a bartender here, she told him herself back when he met her in the library of the college they both attended earlier that year. Now that it’s winter break and both have gone home to work, relax, and spend time with family, they no longer talked as much. Even though Zuko was home for three days, it didn’t feel like home. His father was gone, out of town in some foreign country, and Azula had her boyfriend. All she did was attack Zuko or make-out with her boyfriend until they found her room. So, Zuko flew out here, to see the bar and her.

“What’ll it be?” asked a voice he was familiar with, hers.

He looked up, his eyes catching hers. Her eyes grew wide recognizing him.

“Zuko?” She asked, a smile jumping to her lips.

He nodded, smiling with her. “It’s nice to see you again,” he responded, his voice raspy and low.

“You too, but-” She shook her head, closing her eyes for a second, “why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with your family?”

“My dad’s out of town and my sister has her boyfriend over for the next month or so. Doesn’t really feel like family over there,” he shrugged.

“Ah, I see,” She nodded, grabbing a glass and filling it with whiskey. She knew what he liked, spending time with him back at the campus. He took it hard, but she wasn’t exactly sure why. Maybe he just liked the immediate buzz, or the way it burned down his throat. All she knew was that he took it on the rocks and plain, old whiskey. “Here,” She pushed to glass towards him, “on the house.”

“Thanks,” He smiled, wrapping a hand around the glass and knocking it back, letting the alcohol burn his throat. After he swallowed, he looked up at her. “So, how’s it feel to be back home?”

“It’s nice, actually. I missed Sokka, Gran Gran, and Dad. Sokka has Suki over, so I can kind of relate to your sister. But I’m sure Sokka and Suki behave better than they do. Suki and I get along really well,” She smiled, taking his glass and filling it up again.

“I’m glad your family is close, I wonder what that feels like.”

At home, Zuko lived in a mansion. Everyone was so far apart from each other all the time. The long dining room table they always sat at, yelling to talk to one another. Everyone was so distant. He barely knew Azula and what was going on with her life. His dad was usually never around or with a girl he met at a party the night before. Neither cared to ask Zuko about college life or his friends or possible girlfriends.

“You don’t deserve a family like that,” She paused, “Maybe you could stay with us. Our house isn’t too big, so you’d probably have to sleep on the couch or with Sokka. Suki sleeps in my room or on the couch with Sokka, but I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. My dad might be a little rough, but he’d like to meet some of my friends from the campus.”

He stopped, looking up at her with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah! You need a family and a winter break you can actually enjoy. The hotels around here are overpriced anyways, even though tourism really isn’t our biggest feat. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“Thank you, Katara,” He smiled, wrapping his fingers around the glass before downing yet another whiskey.

She kept refilling his glass, and it was probably around his fourth or fifth glass by now. She refilled and handed him another one before looking at the clock. They’ve been talking, laughing, and drinking - well, Zuko’s been drinking.

“My shift’s over, I’ll be right back.” Katara walked away, towards the back room. His eyes followed her until she was no longer in sight. He finished his drink, setting the glass down. He knew he was a bit drunk, he noticed when he could hear his words starting to slur. He asked another bartender for another one, handing over the glass to the guy. Katara came back shortly after, taking the seat next to him.

“I know you’re drunk, Zuko,” She laughed, watching as he finished his next glass.

The bartender came back, and Zuko ordered another one. Katara asked for a water. “This will be my last one,” He said, trying not to slur.

“No, it won’t,” she panned, “I know you.”

He didn’t know why, but he started giggling. Soon, the giggling turned into a chuckle, and then full blown laughter. Katara didn’t say anything funny, but somehow it was to him. He knew she was right. This wasn’t going to be the last one. He always drinks until he’s drunk. He gets this quirk from his dad. Genetically or habitually, he wasn’t sure. His laughter died down as soon as he saw the drink sitting in front of him. He downed that one in a gulp or two, his body aching for more. He was addicted to the sudden buzz that fueled his drunkenness. The bartender returned, and filled him up with another one. When the bartender returned, he looked to Katara and nodded towards Zuko as he spoke. “You gonna take care of him?”

“Yeah, Mike, I got him. This one’s mine,” She laughed, the sound somehow dancing in the air, making Zuko smile.

Mike, bartender guy, walked away, tending to other drinkers that still remained here. The hour was late, Zuko knew that. He knew it was late enough that the rain had turned into snow. He could see it, through the glass windows at the front of the bar. He downed the next glass, looking to Katara as he waited his next one.

“You know what I never noticed, Katara?” He asked, his words slurred.

“How drunk you are?” She smirked, with slight worry in her voice.

“No, not that. The way the snow lands on the ground just like your hair lands when you shake your head.”

Katara’s smirk fell as she realized what he said. Her cheeks began to turn red. Mike brought his glass back over, full again. She looked at him and said, “Last one for the night, Mike.”

He nodded and walked off. Zuko took his glass and downed it, smiling and staring at Katara. “You… are realllllllyyyyyy pretty. It’s like- looking at a….. a….. a flower.”

“Okay, Zuko, let’s go home,” she laughed, standing and waiting for Zuko to stand.

“No, I’m serious. You’re fucking gorgeous!” He laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

She took her hand and removed his arm from her shoulders and reached to wrap hers over his. “C’mon, let’s go.”